John Higgins is ready to dine at snooker's top table after securing his place in today's Betfred.com World Championship final.

The two-time world champion held his nerve to clinch a battling 17-13 win over Irish young gun Mark Allen in their semifinal clash at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre.

If the Wishaw cueman does win this year's title he would join elite company alongside Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis and Ronnie O'Sullivan as only the fourth player to have won three or more Crucible crowns.

He is on course to lock horns with Shaun Murphy, the 2005 Crucible champion, in this season's best-of-35 showcase for a £250,000 jackpot.

Murphy, this season's UK champion, led Aussie ace Neil Robertson 14-10 ahead of the concluding session of their semi final.

"I found it really hard to get over the winning line, Mark really put me under pressure," admitted Higgins, who had four century breaks in the match..

"In the third session I had no nerves at all, but today I was a bag of nerves. What a comeback from Mark. If I'd have lost that match I don't know what I'd have done. I certainly would have had no heart for another season.

"It's such a special feeling to back in the final again, if I could win this title for a third time it would mean so much to me." Ahead 15-9 overnight, Higgins made hard work of his task to win just two frames to progress.

Having earlier led 13-3 the world No 5, slowly saw himself being reeled in by Allen who battled back to trail 15-12.

But Higgins made his vast experience count, pocketing a break of 116 to edge closer to victory after Allen missed an excellent chance to move closer.

Allen won the next frame with a 47 break to make it 16-13, but Higgins edged over the winning line courtesy of a fine run of 60 in the next frame.

Allen said: "I've got be really proud of the way I've played these last couple of weeks, it's been a fantastic experience."